REVIEW: MICAM MILANO MICAM MILANO:SEPTEMBER 2023


At the 96th edition of the international footwear fair in Italy, there was a clear message of individuality, authenticity and self-expression through our footwear choices!


Cheryl Taylor, Associate Editor at Footwear Today, sends her report from the show


I


have attended many MICAM shows in Italy over the years, and the 96th edition of MICAM held on 17-20 September


2023 at Fiera Milano Rho was one of the best! It was an amazing show with some fascinating exhibits, a plethora of seminars and 1,024 footwear brands representing over 30 countries. Not to mention all the latest footwear trends, the inspiring Emerging Designers section, and the exciting catwalk! Exhibitors and visitors alike were welcomed


with three simple words: WALK YOUR WAY. “Walking is a simple and natural action, but the way we do it is an expression of who we are,” said Giovanna Ceolini, President of MICAM. Wise words indeed! This encouragement is much more than just


a motto; the organisers said it is a message promoting individuality, authenticity and self- expression through the shoes we choose to wear: “MICAM represents the multi-faceted world of high-quality footwear in which the customer is at the core of its value system. There are no rules to follow when it comes to shoes. Everyone is encouraged to follow their own passions and wear the shoes that make them feel most comfortable in every situation.” And I absolutely agree. I certainly ‘walked my way’ along the aisles of


MICAM and explored the glittering shoe stands this season ‘exploring my own style to embrace my individuality’, and I wore my shoes with pride – in my case, trainers! It was a long walk over three days at the show, during which I visited nearly all the footwear stands, swooned over the luxury brands in the MICAM halls, met up with old friends from the industry and made several new ones along the way. The after show party was pretty hot too! The aisles were busy around the show most


days and on the stands the Agents were clearly taking orders. The ladies’ shoe brands in the German Pavilion were popular, particularly the Wortmann brands, and the Spanish and Portuguese sections were lively as well. I spent an enthralling early evening sifting through the shelves with designer Massimo


14 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • OCTOBER 2023


for many years the best Brazilian footwear was sold under ‘White Label’. Now, Brazilian footwear is selling in Europe again and the ladies’ boots are fabulous – what’s more, prices for retailers are very reasonable indeed so these shouldn’t be overlooked. I found only one UK brand at MICAM this


season – Barker Shoes, English Shoemakers since 1880. My old friend Adrian Gell from Northampton is Head of Sales at Barker, and we met up on their stand at MICAM. Barker Shoes have been an English tradition for 140 years. Only the most carefully selected leathers are used, and the uppers are shaped on the last by hand. A genuinely great brand, now selling in Europe. As for shoe colours for ladies’ footwear


Balbini at the French brand, Thierry Rabotin, a famous ladies’ shoe brand that richly deserves its place at the top of the market. Thank you Massimo, I enjoyed it. If I could afford to wear these amazingly comfortable and stylish shoes, I would wear them every day! I was most impressed by the Brazilian


footwear section, both ladies’ and men’s styles. Brazilian leather is excellent, soft and pliable, making very stylish shoes and boots. However,


SS24, at MICAM I saw a lot of blue greys, baby blue, lavender, purple, apricot, gold, sand, cream, soft pinks and peach, amber, rust, and various shades of green – from pale sage to army green and turquoise. Also, lots of metallics and sparkles and liquid gloss effects! I would not hesitate in recommending the


MICAM show to Footwear Today readers. It’s an amazing show with so much to see! The next edition will be 18-21 February 2024.


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